December 2009
Floods resulting from a wet November attracted a good selection of waterbirds but froze over mid-month as one of the hardest winters for many years began its icy grip. The wintering herd of Whooper Swans reached a maximum count of 89 on the 2nd when the single accompanying Bewick’s Swan was last reported. A flock of 23 of the former species flew south over Askham Bog on the 1st while 11 were at Skip Bridge near Green Hammerton, just outside the recording area, on the 5th and 30 were on floods north of Beningbrough the same day. Two Egyptian Geese feeding on winter cornfields east of Ryther on the 13th was unusual while a mini-influx of wildfowl onto floods at Clifton Ings on the 2nd produced seven Shelduck, eight Wigeon, three Gadwall, 22 Common Teal and three Pochard. An eclipse drake Wigeon was on the River Ouse at Fulford Ings on the 28th and the drake Green-winged Teal was relocated at North Duffield Carrs on the 2nd. Notable duck counts in the Lower Derwent Valley included 70+ Pintail and 40 Shoveler at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th when c. 150 Tufted Duck were at Bank Island with six of the latter at Redhouse Reservoir on the 29th. A female Scaup was found at Skip Bridge on the 8th while a drake Goldeneye was at Bank Island on the 2nd with one at Wheldrake on the 5th. A Red-breasted Merganser was reported from North Duffield Carrs on the 4th while Goosanders were widespread with double-figure counts of 13 at Skip Bridge on the 5th, 12 at Castle Howard Lake on the 26th and 12 also at Redhouse Reservoir on the 29th. A covey of 12 Red-legged Partridges was near Naburn Sewage Works on the 13th with five Grey Partridges noted at Hessay fishponds on the 5th while up to six Little Grebes were seen in the Lower Derwent Valley. A Red-necked Grebe was observed drifting downstream on the River Derwent in the North Duffield/Bubwith area on the 1st – a number of years has passed since the last York area record! Four Great Crested Grebes were still at Rawcliffe Lake early in the month with three on the Derwent at North Duffield Carrs on the 19th and a single bird on the Ouse at Fulford Ings on the 25th. Raptor reports were few with a Red Kite noted low over Fulford Golf Course on the 17th, a probable Marsh Harrier seen distantly at Hagg Bridge on the 5th with another over the old airfield at Acaster Malbis on the 12th, a female Merlin near Harewood Whin on the 24th and single Peregrines at Dunnington Common early in the month and Poppleton on the 20th. Two Water Rails were noted at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th (car park) and the 25th (from Tower Hide) while singles were at North Duffield Carrs on the 19th and in Rawcliffe Meadows Flood Basin on the 26th. Wader numbers began to diminish as the icy weather took hold but there was still a good scattering of species seen: large flocks of Golden Plover and Lapwing were still present in the Lower Derwent Valley early in the month while 200+ of the latter flying south and west over Fulford Ings on the 20th were an indication of the exodus. Only two Dunlin were noted at Bubwith Bridge on the 20th while an impressive 50+ Ruff were at North Duffield Carrs on the 2nd. Around 30 Common Snipe were also seen from Bubwith Bridge on the 20th while single Woodcocks were noted at Copmanthorpe, Heslington, Rawcliffe Meadows and Stub Wood (Acaster Malbis) during the month with two in Redhouse Woods on the 29th. A single Black-tailed Godwit was at Bubwith Bridge on the 20th with a Spotted Redshank noted at Bubwith Ings on the 5th along with 45 Common Redshanks which were still present on the 20th. Single Green Sandpipers were flushed from a dyke at Fulford Ings on the 13th and seen flying over Rawcliffe Cornfield NR on the 26th. Interesting species of gull were in short supply with an adult Mediterranean Gull discovered in the roost at Castle Howard Lake on the 26th and an adult Yellow-legged Gull identified at Bank Island on the 22nd. A Short-eared Owl was reportedly at North Duffield Carrs on the 4th while up to two Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers located in Stub Wood on the 10th was a notable record. Up to 12 Sky Larks frequented Rawcliffe Cornfield NR during the month while sizeable counts of Pied Wagtails consisted of c. 35 feeding in a wet field at Middlethorpe Ings on the 13th and 200+ roosting in Parliament Square, York mid-month. Several Stonechats were noted at North Duffield Carrs on the 5th with a pair still present on the 19th. The only noteworthy flocks of Fieldfare were 36 along the Pocklington Canal on the 5th and c. 120 at Cliffe on the 20th while Redwings were relatively scarce. A Cetti’s Warbler was reported again at North Duffield Carrs on the 4th and 11th with a male Blackcap in a Pocklington garden on the 22nd and a Chiffchaff by the Tower Hide at Wheldrake Ings on the 25th. Marsh Tits were noted in Redhouse Woods and Askham Bog while Nuthatches were reported from Stub Wood early in the month and at Bishopthorpe Palace on the 19th. At least four Jays continued to winter at Clifton Park with one at Heslington on the 20th said to be unusual. Sizeable gatherings of Tree Sparrows included 100 along the Pocklington Canal and 40+ attending feeders at Bank Island on the 5th, 34 at Dunnington Common on the 9th and 66 at Rawcliffe Cornfield NR on the 23rd while there were numerous reports of birds visiting gardens when the cold weather set in. A single Brambling which visited a garden in Barton-le-Willows over Christmas was the only record this month and Siskins were also in short supply with only a few birds feeding in alders along the Pocklington Canal on the 5th and two females doing likewise at Bishopthorpe on the 19th. A flock of Lesser Redpolls at York Cemetery was reported on BirdGuides on the 13th while c. 25 were at Rawcliffe Lake by the end of the month. An impressive count of over 120 Linnets was at Rawcliffe Cornfield NR from mid-month with six Crossbills noted at Helmsley Moor, just outside the recording area, on the 28th and ten Bullfinches at Barton-le-Willows over Christmas. A Lapland Bunting was reported calling over Wheldrake on the 22nd while c. 20 Yellowhammers were counted along the Pocklington Canal on the 5th with c. 100 at Wilberfoss on the 21st. The flock of Reed Buntings at Rawcliffe Cornfield NR had decreased to 42 by the 23rd with c. 30 Corn Buntings also present at this site mid-month and a few birds noted at Wilberfoss on the 21st.

November 2009
November was mostly wet and windy and there was still quite a bit of activity before things quieted down for the main winter period. Four Whooper Swans were at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th with 33 at North Duffield Carrs the same day while 28 flew south over Heslington on the 8th and 16 south over Huntington on the 27th when up to 30 were present at Overton Ings; a maximum of 55 was recorded at North Duffield during a WeBS count on the 14th along with a single Bewick’s Swan which had been present since the 7th and was noted at Ellerton Ings on the 15th while 12 were reported flying north at Newton-on-Ouse on the 28th. Skeins of 100 Pink-footed Geese flew north over Askham Bog on the 12th and 80 southwest over Copmanthorpe on the 29th with 200 present at Wheldrake Ings on the 14th. Total WeBS counts for the Lower Derwent Valley of Greylag and Canada Geese on the 14th were 2,468 and 1,697 respectively while 60 feral Barnacle Geese were at York University’s Campus East site on the 20th. Two Ruddy Shelducks at Wheldrake Ings on the 19th were noteworthy while a drake Green-winged Teal was discovered at North Duffield Carrs on the 30th. Total WeBS counts for other wildfowl in the Lower Derwent Vallley on the 14th included 10,605 Wigeon, 44 Gadwall, 3,751 Common Teal, 1,536 Mallard, 30 Pintail, 55 Shoveler and 36 Tufted Duck while 42 of the latter at Bank Island on the 7th was a good concentration. A female Goldeneye at Wheldrake Ings on the 23rd was probably the first of the winter and Goosander were recorded at Redhouse Reservoir early in the month with six noted at Wheldrake on the 27th. A covey of 15 Grey Partridge at Long Marston early in the month was notable with 17 Little Grebes counted in the Lower Derwent Valley on the 14th and four Great Crested Grebes still on Rawcliffe Lake on the 18th. A Little Egret was at North Duffield Carrs on the 19th while a total of ten Water Rails was recorded in the Lower Derwent Valley on the 14th. Moving on to raptors, a female Marsh Harrier was seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st and Bank Island on the 19th while a juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard flew west over Millington Pastures on the 11th but unfortunately did not hang around. Single Merlins were noted at Naburn Sewage Works on the 7th and Wheldrake on the 13th with two Peregrines seen in the Lower Derwent Valley on the 7th and one at Wheldrake Ings on the 16th when another was seen striking a bird over Ouse Bridge in York. Wader-wise, flocks of Golden Plover included 800+ between Long Marston and Hessay on the 11th and 200+ near Angram the same day while Lapwing flocks included c. 300 at Naburn Sewage Works on the 7th, 200+ between Long Marston and Hessay on the 11th and 16 at Campus East on the 20th. Total WeBS counts for the Lower Derwent Valley on the 14th included 4,124 Golden Plover, 4,597 Lapwing, 324 Common Snipe and 23 Redshank. The maximum count of Ruff was 38 at Wheldrake Ings on the 14th when three Woodcocks were also recorded in the valley with another at Harlthorpe on the 28th and a single Green Sandpiper at Melbourne on the 14th. Presumably the same Lesser Yellowlegs seen at Wheldrake in the summer was reported to be with Redshank at Bubwith Ings on the 13th before flying off north and being relocated at Thorganby Ings; other claims came from Aughton Ings on the 23rd and East Cottingwith Ings on the 27th… Gull counts in the Lower Derwent Valley on the 14th consisted of 4,000 Black-headed, 380 Common, 350 Herring and 280 Great Black-backed while two Yellow-legged Gulls were noted at Bank Island on the 17th. Single Barn Owls were seen at a few typical sites while a single Short-eared Owl observed at Wheldrake Ings on the 9th and 13th was a more unusual record these days. Passing over to passerines, six Grey Wagtails were seen together by the Ouse Bridge in York on the 10th while winter thrushes were well represented at Bugthope on the 26th and 27th and Harlthorpe on the 28th; 46 Fieldfares were at Bishopthorpe on the 7th when about ten Redwings were noted along the River Ouse between York and Naburn. A possible Cetti’s Warbler was seen briefly in the reedbed in front of the Geoff Smith Hide at North Duffield Carrs on the 4th with a confirmed sighting in the reedbed at Wheldrake Ings on the 13th, part of a northerly push of this species into Yorkshire at the time. A more unexpected record concerned a Yellow-browed Warbler watched for 15 minutes at Sand Hutton Central Science Laboratory on the 4th, unfortunately not at a public site but it was not seen again anyway. A single Marsh Tit was noted at Wheldrake on the 6th while Jays seen away from their usual haunts included up to four in the Clifton Ings area and a single at Bishopthorpe. Flocks of c. 30 Tree Sparrows were recorded at Long Marston early in the month and Campus East on the 20th. At least 50 Goldfinches were counted along the River Ouse between York and Naburn on the 7th with large numbers of Siskin feeding in alders along the Pocklington Canal at Melbourne on the 23rd and c. 120 Lesser Redpolls present in Redhouse Woods early in the month. A flock of c. 50 Linnets was at Millington Pastures on the 8th while a single Twite flying around calling at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th was a good record, but the bird did not settle. Flocks of 20+ Yellowhammers were recorded at both Nunnington and West Ness during BTO Atlas work on the 15th while up to 100 Reed Buntings frequented Rawcliffe Cornfield NR late in the month and c. 30 Corn Buntings at Poppleton on the 11th was the only record for that species.

October 2009
This was a bit of a changeover month as winter visitors arrived and the last of the summer visitors departed. Seven Whooper Swans were noted at North Duffield Carrs on the 9th and 17th with two juveniles seen at Castle Howard Lake on the 11th and six birds flying southeast over East Cottingwith on the 23rd. There was a relatively small movement of Pink-footed Geese through the region this month with 42 flying south at North Duffield Carrs on the 5th when 70 flew northwest at Cliffe as did c. 80 over York racecourse while 96 also flew northwest over York on the 29th. At least 70 feral Barnacle Geese were at the new Campus East development site at Heslington on the 28th while numbers of wildfowl began to build up with c. 200 Wigeon at Skipwith Common on the 18th though two immature Red-crested Pochards on a pool in the grounds of Castle Howard on the 23rd were probably of dubious origin. Grey Partridge were well reported this month with three at Dunnington Common on the 1st followed by a covey of 15 at Long Marston on the 17th and 12 at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 28th. Up to three Great Crested Grebes remained at York University Lake during the month as did the family party of three birds at Rawcliffe Lake and a single adult at Naburn Marina. More unusual, a juvenile Gannet flew over the Pocklington Canal at East Cottingwith Lock on the 11th while a single Glossy Ibis was reportedly flushed from the bank of the River Derwent at North Duffield Carrs on the 23rd, flying off north, never to be seen again… Meanwhile, a few interesting raptors were seen this month with a female Marsh Harrier noted at Wheldrake Ings on the 9th and 11th when it was also seen at North Duffield Carrs. A female Goshawk flew steadily south over York Science Park on the 2nd with a possible seen over Rowntree Park two days later and a single bird seen passing over the road at Acaster Selby on the 8th. Common Buzzard sightings included one at Holtby and two flying southwest over Fulford on the 1st, eight in the air together at Wheldrake Ings with an impressive 14 seen together over this site on the 11th and one at Heslington Tillmire on the 28th. Otherwise, a single Osprey flew west at Bank Island on the 5th when a Peregrine flew north over Cliffe and a late Hobby was seen at Skipwith on the 28th. A Water Rail was noted at North Duffield Carrs on the 5th with two at Wheldrake Ings on the 16th while notable wader records included up to 1,200 Golden Plover near Cliffe from the 1st-3rd with 600 there on the 5th when 800 were at Bishopthorpe, 250 at Raker Lakes on the 16th, 85 south of Stamford Bridge on the 16th and 1,000 north of Riccall up to the latter date; 60 Lapwings at North Duffield Carrs on the 18th; a single Jack Snipe feeding in Ings Dyke, Clifton Ings on the 5th with three possibles flying west over Dunnington Common on the 2nd; and a few Common Snipe at Clifton Ings during the month with one at Walmgate Stray, York on the 11th. Ten Herring Gulls were at Grimston Bar on the outskirts of York on the 8th with 15 there on the 13th while a total of 21 Yellow-legged Gulls was counted in the Lower Derwent Valley on the 9th with up to at least ten frequenting fields just south of Thorganby during the first half of the month along with up to 300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and this flock included five Great Black-backed Gulls on the 16th. A late Turtle Dove, a juvenile, was in a Bubwith village garden on the 4th while both Barn and Little Owls were noted at a couple of sites. Other lingering summer visitors included five Swallows at Hassacarr Nature Reserve, Dunnington on the 1st, 30 passing through Wheldrake Ings on the 9th with two there on the 19th and a single south at Bubwith on the 24th while four House Martins were still at Hassacarr Nature Reserve on the 1st with c. 40 at Clifton Ings on the 7th and 8th. Grey Wagtails were noticeable at a number of sites while c. 50 Pied Wagtails moved west over Wilberfoss on the 28th. Pairs of Stonechat were reported from Heslington Tillmire on the 1st and North Duffield Carrs on the 9th while sightings of winter thrushes included: Fieldfare – c. 150 over Dunnington Common on the 13th, 16 at Wheldrake Ings on the 19th and 30 at Clifton Ings on the 30th; Redwing – a single in Fulford was the first followed by three at Fulford Ings on the 9th with birds present in the Clifton Ings area from the 13th when several hundred in total moved west over Pocklington, c. 150 were seen at Wheldrake Ings and c. 50 flew over Fulford. A Chiffchaff was at Wheldrake Ings on the 30th with an elusive male Bearded Tit seen in the reedbed there on the 8th and 11th. A single Willow Tit was noted in Askham Bog on the 19th while Jays had dispersed widely with at least seven in the Clifton Ings area throughout the month, a lone bird at Heslington Tillmire on the 1st, ten at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th, a single at Fulford Ings on the 9th with two just down the road at Naburn Sewage Works the same day and one at Fulford Golf Course on the 28th when two were at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe. At least 20 Tree Sparrows were counted in a Bubwith garden on the 4th while 25 Goldfinches were at Hassacarr Nature Reserve, Dunnington on the 1st. Ten Siskins were feeding in alders at East Cottingwith on the 23rd with a single Lesser Redpoll flying over Rawcliffe Meadows on the 20th and a total of 19 in the Heslington area on the 28th. A Crossbill flew over Wheldrake Ings on the latter date with 30+ Reed Buntings at the reedbed roost there on the 13th and 20+ Corn Buntings at the Clifton Ings roost on the 29th. Last, but not least, two escaped Ostriches were on the run at Cliffe on the 13th!...

September 2009
The expected surge of records in September did not materialise, though there were certainly some interesting species seen. A skein of 150+ Pink-footed Geese passed over York Science Park on the 23rd, part of what was to become a major regional movement of this species. The only other wildfowl of note were three Tufted Ducks on Rawcliffe Lake on the 26th and ten Goosanders observed flying down the River Derwent at Wheldrake Ings on the 15th. The young Great Crested Grebe at Rawcliffe Lake was now fully grown, though still begging food from its parents as was the single juvenile at York University Lake where two pairs were still in residence. There was a certain amount of raptor movement, probably involving mainly dispersing juveniles, with single Red Kites seen at Upper Poppleton on the 19th and flying east over Wheldrake Ings on the 21st while a Marsh Harrier roosted at Bank Island on the 19th/20th. A juvenile Goshawk (which had seemingly been shot at!) was photographed at Yearsley Moor on the 9th and a female was seen at Wheldrake Ings the following day with a possible male passing over Fulford Ings on the 27th. A pair of Common Buzzards, now a regular sight in our area, was seen between Bielby and Seaton Ross on the 15th while a Hobby was observed to catch a House Martin at Storwood on the 10th with possibly a different bird noted chasing hirundines over East Cottingwith on the 12th and 17th. A Spotted Crake was trapped and ringed at Bank Island on the 1st with two more caught the following day – all were adults so it was not possible to tell if these were local breeding birds. Wader passage was poor but the usual build-up of Golden Plover and Lapwing flocks was noted with c. 100 of the former at Raker Lakes throughout and c. 1,200 at Cliffe on the 28th along with c. 80 of the latter species. Single Dunlins were seen at the Campus East development, Heslington on the 13th and Wheldrake Ings on the 20th with up to four Common Snipe returning to Clifton Ings and one to two Green Sandpipers noted at Wheldrake Ings during the month as well as at Melbourne on the 20th when a single seen on the River Foss at Wandmire Farm between Strensall and Stillington was rather unexpected. Four Yellow-legged Gulls were found amongst a large flock of Lesser Black-backed Gulls feeding in fields just south of Thorganby on the 5th with nine of the latter there on the 8th; presumably involving birds seen previously at Harewood Whin near Rufforth, these birds remained in the area in to October, giving local listers the chance to catch up with this ‘difficult-to-get species’ at an easily accessible site. Late Swift sightings involved records of two birds at the Millennium Bridge, York on the 1st, Clifton Ings on the 3rd and East Cottingwith on the 12th while a Kingfisher took up residence at York University Lake from the 11th with another being seen on the River Ouse near Cliffe on the 28th. Two juvenile Woodlarks were seen at an undisclosed locality on the 9th while an impressive one-off roost of at least 2,000 Swallows was noted in a cornfield at East Cottingwith on the 8th with good numbers of House Martins being reported generally. At least 12 Yellow Wagtails were at Thorganby Ings on the 10th and one to two Grey Wagtails were noted at several sites. A single Whinchat was seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th where a female Wheatear was present on the 2nd. Warblers were well-reported with a late Sedge Warbler noted at Wheldrake on the 7th and a recently fledged Whitethroat seen at Allerthorpe Common on the 20th where four Blackcaps and at least ten Chiffchaffs were also seen in a mixed flock of small birds. A single Garden Warbler and two Blackcaps were also noted in a mixed flock moving along the Pocklington Canal at East Cottingwith on the 10th while a single Willow Warbler was still at Wheldrake Ings on the 20th. Three Spotted Flycatchers were in Clifton Park on the 1st with two remaining till the 3rd while another was at Wheldrake Ings on the 9th. Single Willow Tits were seen in three different areas at this site on the 10th with another along the Pocklington Canal at East Cottingwith the same day. Dispersing Jays were noted as follows: one in Heslington village on the 2nd; one at Naburn Bridge on the 24th; two birds ranging widely on Clifton Ings during the last week of the month; and three flying high southwest over Cliffe on the 28th. At least six birds were also present at Allerthorpe Common on the 20th. A large number of Linnets made up most of a mixed flock of c. 200 finches feeding on Swantail Ings at Wheldrake throughout the month while c. 30 frequented  Allerthorpe Common. Finally, a single Crossbill was heard calling from pine trees at York Science Park on the 14th.

August 2009
August was typically quiet – the calm before the September storm? The Campus East development site at Heslington continued to show promise and it looks like the wildfowl collection is beginning to develop already as the new lake was attracting good numbers of feral geese! – There were 50+ Greylag Geese and 40 Barnacle Geese present on the 14th... Meanwhile, wet areas on a pig farm near North Duffield produced a few interesting records with three juvenile Shelduck seen mid-month. Only two Quail were reported in the recording area, however, with a calling bird just south of Norton on the 23rd and a single reported from a Welburn garden next day. The pair of Great Crested Grebes at Rawcliffe Lake was eventually successful producing one chick which appeared to be healthy and hopefully will survive to fledging. A dark juvenile Honey Buzzard seen at Askham Bog on the 18th was identified retrospectively from an excellent photograph of the bird, while vociferous family parties of both Sparrowhawk and Kestrel made their presence known at Clifton Ings early in the month. On the down side, a badly injured Hobby was picked up in a garden at Hemingbrough near Selby on the 4th, but had to be euthanized following examination by a vet. Waders attracted to the pig farm near North Duffield on the 14th included 18 Common Snipe, nine Greenshank and three Green Sandpipers with two Little Ringed Plovers there on the 19th. A single Greenshank noted flying west over Heslington village on the 16th appeared to have come from the nearby Campus East development site while two flew downriver at Bank island on the 21st. A Common Sandpiper was on the new lake at Campus East, Heslington on the 14th while up to ten Yellow-legged Gulls visited Rufforth tip (Harewood Whin) from mid-month. A pair of Common Terns was at Naburn Marina on the 8th with three flying south over Rawcliffe Country Park on the 28th. A day-flying Barn Owl was hunting over Fulford Ings on the 8th while the Long-eared Owl at North Duffield Carrs was still being seen fairly regularly. Large gatherings of Swifts were noted at Clifton Ings during the first week of the month before suddenly departing and southbound birds included c. 20 over Fulford Ings on the 9th and two over Rawcliffe Park on the 28th with two also at York University on the 13th. A single Yellow Wagtail flew over Bishopthorpe on the 8th while three were at the pig farm near North Duffield on the 14th along with 30 Pied Wagtails. A male Redstart was a good find at Allerthorpe Common on the 3rd while a feeding flock of 20+ Mistle Thrushes was at Clifton Cricket Club grounds on the 25th. The second pair of Reed Warblers on the small pond at Rawcliffe Country Park successfully fledged three young and a juvenile Lesser Whitethroat was seen at Allerthorpe Common on the 3rd with a Common Whitethroat seen briefly at York Science Park on the 21st; in fact, many juvenile warblers of the commoner species seemed to be on the move at this time. The first Spotted Flycatcher of the ‘autumn’ at Clifton Park was seen on the 10th while the flock of 12 Crossbills at Allerthorpe Common was still present on the 3rd.

July 2009
Another quiet month during the usual ‘midsummer lull’ although there was enough to keep up some amount of interest! A pair of Shelducks produced seven young at Moor Monkton fishponds while the series of Quail records continued with one to two at Thorganby during the first half of the month and a single at Newton on Derwent on the 21st when one was heard calling in fields along the Long Marston-Tockwith road; this soon became three birds by the 23rd with at least one still present at the end of the month. Being close to York these birds generated quite a bit of interest, especially as they could even be seen on occasion; two were also calling from the traditional site near West Lilling on the 27th. The pair of Great Crested Grebes at Naburn Marina still had two young on the 25th while an adult Little Egret remained at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th with three birds in the Clifton Ings area on the 14th being a new local patch record for one observer. A single Marsh Harrier was seen at Thorganby Ings on the 1st while a (presumed male) Honey Buzzard flew west over Clifton Ings on the 15th and a male Goshawk was seen well at Coneysthorpe on the 4th with a juvenile passing through Walmgate Stray, York during the early morning of the 28th. An adult Common Buzzard was seen at Askham Bog on the 11th while a single Hobby was hunting Sand Martins on the opposite side of the River Ouse from Beningbrough Hall early in the month. Three Oystercatchers were on the Campus East development site at Heslington on the 4th suggesting probable breeding there with two also seen flying over Askham Bog on the 11th, three at Redhouse Reservoir on the 19th and an adult at Middlethorpe Ings on the 25th. Two Little Ringed Plovers were at Wheldrake Ings on the 13th with a single at Moor Monkton fishponds on the 19th where any indication of breeding remained elusive. Six Lapwings were still at Middlethorpe Ings on the 25th while a single Dunlin was seen at Moor Monkton fishponds on the 19th. The wader highlight of the month, if not the year(!), was undoubtedly the adult Lesser Yellowlegs found on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 22nd; despite spending much of the day there, it still managed to outwit most observers by doing a disappearing act just before most people arrived at the site after work! This appears to be the first record of this attractive, dainty Nearctic wader for the YOC recording area... A single Green Sandpiper was at Thorganby Ings on the 1st with numbers at nearby Wheldrake Ings slowly building up to ten birds by the 30th. A single Wood Sandpiper also graced the latter site on the 1st while a pair of Common Terns continued to visit York University Lake from the 19th when four were at Redhouse Reservoir. Several pairs of Barn Owls were reported from the Long Marston area along with breeding Little Owls and Tawny Owls; meanwhile the Long-eared Owl at North Duffield Carrs was seen again on the 1st. Moving on to passerines, two Yellow Wagtails were at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 21st with a single near Long Marston on the 26th. At least two Stonechats, presumably part of a family group, were seen at Strensall Common on the 5th while far more unusual was a report of a Cetti’s Warbler singing near Storwood early in the month which did not linger. A Sedge Warbler was singing from riverside vegetation at Clifton Ings on the 16th and a second pair of Reed Warblers was confirmed at a small pond in Rawcliffe Country Park. A pair of Lesser Whitethroats was at North Duffield Carrs on the 5th while six to seven pairs of Whitethroats were noted on rough ground at Moor Monkton fishponds with two Garden Warblers picked out of a mixed warbler/tit flock at Clifton Park on the 27th – a sign that birds were already on the move! A Spotted Flycatcher was in a churchyard at Upper Poppleton on the 11th while a Nuthatch was seen at Castle Howard on the 4th with two in an Upper Poppleton garden on the 11th and a single in a Poppleton garden on the 17th; the latter was thought to be a juvenile and perhaps indicated post-breeding dispersal.  More of a surprise was a Raven moving north over Escrick on the 1st with perhaps the same bird seen over Clifton Ings on the 7th. A flock of 12 Crossbills was noted at Allerthorpe Common on the 17th while several Corn Buntings remained in the West Lilling area as did two to three along the Long Marston-Tockwith road.

June 2009
A relatively quiet month as most species settled down to breed including some rather exciting surprises! A good series of Quail records began with a single calling at Wheldrake Ings on the 3rd, then two near Long Marston on the 26th when  another at Redhouse Reservoir, and two at Thorganby Ings on the 29th with at least 20 calling in the Lower Derwent Valley by the end of the month. The usual pairs of Great Crested Grebes remained at Naburn Marina, Rawcliffe Lake and York University Lake with a single also on the River Ouse at Clifton Ings on the 15th and 16th. Little Egrets bred in the recording area for the first time with a pair at Wheldrake Ings fledging one youngster which soon disappeared for some reason. A Spoonbill appeared briefly at this site on the 24th before departing low to the north, never to be seen again! A number of raptor records were received with a single Red Kite seen at Clifton Ings on the 12th, a female Marsh Harrier noted at North Duffield Carrs on the 18th where three cream-crowns were seen on the 27th, a female Goshawk flew southeast over a startled observer’s garden in Heslington on the 23rd, the first fledged juvenile Kestrel noted at Fulford Ings on the 8th and single Hobbies reported flying over the River Ouse towards Clifton Ings on the 7th with possibly the same bird at this site on the 21st while one was hunting Sand Martins at Redhouse Reservoir on the 22nd. News of a calling Corncrake near the Garganey Hide at North Duffield Carrs on the 2nd generated a great deal of local interest with two birds calling there from at least the 5th before both suddenly fell silent. A Common Crane was reported from the refuge at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd while two flew over Poppleton towards Clifton Ings on the 16th where they appeared to come down. Wader-wise, three Oystercatchers were in the Bishopthorpe/Naburn Sewage Works area on the 26th with a single Green Sandpiper at Clifton Ings on the 25th and two at Wheldrake Ings on the 28th along with a single Wood Sandpiper which was also present next day. A pair of Common Terns frequented York University Lake mid-month while there was a welcome run of Turtle Dove records in our area with singing birds at Breighton on the 25th, near Terrington on the 27th and at Gribthorpe east of Willitoft, also on the 27th. Single Cuckoos were reported from Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 1st, Askham Bog on the 2nd, Bubwith on the 27th and Sand Hutton on several dates. Barn Owls were noted at Terrington and Long Marston with three pairs of Little Owl breeding at the latter site where Tawny Owl was also regular while a Long-eared Owl roosted in full view of the Garganey Hide at North Duffield Carrs for much of the day on the 27th and was also reported in the vicinity on other dates. A gathering of some 50+ Swifts was noted at Clifton Ings on the 24th with ten Sand Martins being present at the breeding site by Fulford Hall on the 26th. Single Yellow Wagtails were seen at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 1st and Long Marston on the 21st and 22nd while three were at Breighton on the 25th and a pair seemed to be nesting near Terrington on the 28th. At least one pair of Reed Warblers was recorded to have bred on a small pond at Rawcliffe Country Park while Whitethroats which appeared in several areas were thought perhaps to be late arrivals. A Garden Warbler was singing at Clifton Ings early in the month while the presence of other, commoner, warblers became less obvious as birds stopped singing. Two Spotted Flycatchers were seen in Askham Bog on the 24th with a possible nesting pair noted near Terrington on the 28th. Three Reed Buntings were singing along the River Ouse between York and Naburn on the 26th with Corn Buntings being noted as regular in the Long Marston area.

May 2009
May, surprisingly, was not as busy as April though there was a good variety of interesting species on offer. Wildfowl numbers had seriously tailed off by this month, as would be expected, although 22 Pink-footed Geese were still at Wheldrake Ings on the 10th with a pair of Shelduck noted at Moor Monkton fishponds on the 1st and a lingering drake Wigeon at Wheldrake on the 10th along with a pair of Gadwall. Pairs of Grey Partridge were seen at Long Marston on the 7th, Cheesecake Farm on the Wheldrake-Elvington road on the 18th and Rawcliffe Ings on the 24th and 27th while an early Quail calling at North Duffield Carrs on the 28th was perhaps more unusual. Two pairs of Great Crested Grebes were nesting at York University Lake on the 1st with the initial regular pair feeding three chicks while a single adult was on the River Ouse at Fulford Ings on the 23rd and the pair at Rawcliffe Ings failed in their first breeding attempt. Up to three Little Egrets were seen at Wheldrake Ings from the 7th at least where news later broke that a pair had bred successfully fledging one youngster and singles were later reported from Bank Island on the 18th and Wheldrake again on the 28th. A Honey Buzzard moved north at Escrick on the 28th while a Red Kite passed low south over Kilburn Road in Fulford on the early morning of the 1st. Singles or pairs of Common Buzzards were reported from several suitable breeding sites while a probable female Red-footed Falcon seen distantly at Acaster Selby on the 21st did not hang around for confirmation! A single Hobby was more cooperative at Cliffe on the 13th while a Peregrine was seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 18th. Up to 13 Spotted Crakes were reported calling at Wheldrake early in the month with a single Corncrake flushed from the edge of woodland on private land near Allerthorpe on the 6th while a Common Crane flew over Skipwith Common on the 29th. Wader-wise, a pair of Oystercatchers was in the Elvington area on the 17th with a pair of Little Ringed Plovers at Moor Monkton fishponds on the 1st and a single of this species seen on a pool in the car park of the National Railway Museum in York on the 26th. Eight Ringed Plovers were at Wheldrake Ings on the 8th while at least 12 pairs of Lapwing were counted at Heslington Tillmire on the 22nd and a Temminck’s Stint was on Swantail Ings at Wheldrake on the 15th. Four Dunlin at the latter site on the 8th had increased to c. 20 next day with four Common Snipe noted displaying at Heslington Tillmire on the 22nd and at least three Woodcock roding at Allerthorpe Common on the 10th. Ten Whimbrel were still at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th while three flew north over Cliffe on the 13th and a pair of Redshank was at Heslington Tillmire on the 22nd with a Common Sandpiper noted on the River Ouse at Fulford Ings the following day. At least 20 Great Black-backed Gulls reported moving west over Heslington Tillmire on the 22nd was unusual for the time of year while a single Sandwich Tern was at Wheldrake Ings on the 18th and four Black Terns at Castle Howard Lake on the 14th. The first Turtle Dove of the year was seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 18th followed by four birds at Acaster Selby on the 21st, one along the Pocklington Canal on the 25th, one again at Wheldrake on the 27th and two still at Acaster Selby on the 28th. Single Cuckoos were noted at several sites with four counted along the Pocklington Canal on the 25th, although birds were conspicuous by their absence at some traditional localities. Single Barn Owls were seen at Bielby and Fulford Ings while single Little Owls were reported from a number or sites as were Tawny Owls, but more surprising was an adult female Long-eared Owl picked up in the River Ouse at Clifton Ings on the 18th and later released at the nearby park and ride; the bird had an active brood patch and must have been nesting in the area! Swifts became more numerous and widespread as the month progressed though birds were missing from some of their usual haunts, and the presumed returning partial albino was seen intermittently at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th. A male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker visited a garden in Heslington Road, Fulford from the 3rd-10th at least while pairs of Woodlark were noted on territory at traditional sites. About ten Sand Martins were frequenting nest holes at Fulford Hall by the 23rd as well as other areas but Tree Pipits seemed unusually scarce with a single at Allerthorpe Common on the 3rd and three at Yearsley Moor on the 23rd being the only reports. Yellow Wagtails were reported from a few sites as were Grey Wagtails while passage birds included a male Whinchat and three Wheatears of the Greenland race at North Duffield on the 9th as well as a male Ring Ouzel feeding in a field at Melbourne on the 5th. Warblers continued to arrive and become more widespread with a Grasshopper Warbler reeling at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th; good numbers of Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler in traditional areas which included an impressive total of 46 of the latter singing along the length of the Pocklington Canal on the 25th with up to two singing males on a pond at Clifton Park from the 15th; a Lesser Whitethroat singing at Wheldrake on the 9th with two singing birds at Fulford Golf Course on the 22nd and one at Fulford Ings next day; a count of 18 Whitethroats singing at Allerthorpe Common on the 3rd with the species noted as being common at Wheldrake Ings, but only low numbers reported from both Fulford Ings and the Heslington area; the first Garden Warbler singing at Terrington on the 4th with further birds noted at Allerthorpe Common, Clifton Ings, Pocklington Canal, Wheldrake Ings and Yearsley Moor; Blackcaps noted in good numbers at several sites; three Wood Warblers singing at Yearsley Moor on the 23rd; and both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler being common and widespread with, for example, respective counts of 20+ and 18+ in the Heslington area on the 22nd. A probable Pied Flycatcher was seen briefly at Wheldrake Ings on the 9th where three Willow Tits were noted on the 5th with a pair also at Bielby on the 3rd. A family party of Treecreepers kept the observer entertained at Clifton Park on the 21st in what was to be a good breeding season for most species. A Nuthatch was seen at Wheldrake on the 9th with a single Jay noted at Clifton Ings on the 21st while three Reed Buntings were singing at Fulford Ings on the 23rd as were two Corn Buntings at North Duffield Carrs on the 9th with a single at Colton on the 16th.

April 2009
April was predominantly dry, warm and sunny and proved a very productive month for records! Thirteen Whooper Swans remained at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st but had soon dropped to just one bird by the 3rd which was still there on the 5th. At the same site, three Pink-footed Geese were also present on the 1st with four birds from the 10th-14th and two on the 28th. Much more dubious was the Bar-headed Goose which lingered here until at least the 17th and a Barnacle Goose with the ‘resident’ Canada Goose flock on the 19th. A skein of 49 Brent Geese was reported flying north over the reserve by Natural England staff on the 22nd while 11 Shelduck were noted at North Duffield Carrs on the 14th where a drake Green-winged Teal was reported on the 7th. Meanwhile, a pair of Garganey continued to grace Wheldrake Ings up to the 17th with just a drake noted there on the 22nd and 25th. Otherwise, most ducks had moved on with two Tufted Ducks on the fishponds at the Moor Monkton turnoff on the A59 and four Goosanders at Redhouse Reservoir, both on the 27th, the only records of note. Moving on to raptors, single Red Kites were noted at Strensall on the 7th, Fulford on the 13th, Sherburn-in-Elmet on the 26th and Riccall on the 30th with single Marsh Harriers seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 19th and moving north over Rufforth on the 24th. Three pairs of Sparrowhawks were displaying along the River Ouse between York and Naburn on the 13th while one to two Common Buzzards were seen in several locations, again with display noted. Single northward bound Ospreys were seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 14th, North Duffield Carrs on the 19th, Thorganby Ings on the 25th and Bubwith Ings on the 26th while a Peregrine flew north over Heslington on the 12th with another noted at Wheldrake Ings on the 25th. Three Common Cranes moved north over Thorganby Ings on the 28th while wader sightings included pairs of Oystercatchers at Naburn Sewage Works on the 11th and the York University Campus East development site near Heslington on the 14th with a single over Clifton Ings on the 22nd; a pair of Avocets at Wheldrake on the 11th and 13th; seven Little Ringed Plovers at North Duffield on the 11th with eight there on the 14th and nine on the 15th, three at Moor Monkton fish ponds on the 20th and a single at Naburn Sewage Works on the 24th while a Ringed Plover flew over Rawcliffe Meadows Flood Basin on the 8th; 20 Lapwings at Middlethorpe Ings on the 11th with six in the Naburn Sewage Works area the same day; maxima of 16 Ruff at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th and 20 at North Duffield Carrs on the 13th; single Jack Snipe at Rawcliffe Meadows Flood Basin on the 4th and Wheldrake on the 22nd; three Common Snipe at Rawcliffe Meadows Flood Basin on the 4th with six at Allerthorpe Common on the 7th; a maximum of 12 Black-tailed Godwits at Wheldrake Ings on the 26th where a single Bar-tailed Godwit joined the internationally important Whimbrel roost on the 28th, the latter having built up from 11 birds on the 17th to 44 by the 22nd and 60 by the 28th;  a flock of 30 Curlews at Melbourne on the 19th with the usual pairs spread out on their traditional breeding grounds; 30 Redshank at North Duffield Carrs on the 14th with six at Wheldrake on the 19th where a single Greenshank was noted on the 25th; and a probable Green Sandpiper at Moor Monkton fishponds on the 20th with a Common Sandpiper on the River Ouse at Fulford Ings on the 25th. [Pause for breath!...] An adult Little Gull was at North Duffield Carrs on the 13th while a juvenile Iceland Gull was noted in the roost at Wheldrake on the 10th and 17th with perhaps the same bird accounting for a sighting in a field just north of the A64/A1079 junction south of York on the 15th. A second-winter Glaucous Gull was seen in a field three miles south of Boroughbridge, not far outside the recording area on the 16th while two terns, most likely Common Terns, were seen flying high over Long Marston on the 25th. One to two Cuckoos were noted at just a few sites from the 10th and there is current concern about the national decline of this iconic harbinger of spring. This cannot be said for the invasive Ring-necked Parakeet of which a single was seen flying over York railway station on the 11th. Single Barn Owls were reported from a few locations, at least a couple seen in broad daylight, while a Little Owl was noted at the Retreat in York on the 18th. A sure sign of ‘summer’, the first Swift was seen flying south(!) near Naburn Bridge on the 24th, quickly followed by others at Clifton Ings on the 27th and Naburn Marina on the 28th when ‘lots’ were reported from Wheldrake Ings. All three resident woodpeckers were seen at Allerthorpe Common on the 7th with three Green Woodpeckers, at least 12 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a single male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker reported while singles of the first species were also noted at Stub Wood on the 4th and Hagg Bridge on the 12th. Turning to passerines, ten Sand Martins were back at Ouse Bridge in York on the 1st with 70 birds counted at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th where three Swallows were present on the 6th and ten the following day, while one to two of the latter were noted at several other sites. A single House Martin was at Hessay on the 14th with two at Fulford Ings on the 19th and the first back at Clifton Ings on the 27th. It was to be a poor year for Tree Pipit with one singing at Allerthorpe Common on the 26th the only record received this month while seven Yellow Wagtails were at North Duffield Carrs on the 11th with 16 there on the 14th and a single male at White House Farm near Fulford on the 20th. Single White Wagtails were noted at North Duffield on the 11th and Wheldrake on the 13th with good numbers of Waxwings still being reported as follows: six in Acomb on the 6th, 11 on Earfit Lane in Copmanthorpe on the 7th, 25 in York city centre on the 8th with 20+ along Nunnery Lane there on the 9th rising to c. 70 by the 16th and back down to c. 15 by the 18th, ten flying over West Bank Park in Acomb on the 13th pursued by a Sparrowhawk, 24 in the grounds of Bootham Park Hospital in York on the 15th and six near Selby Abbey on the 23rd. A fine male Redstart was a pleasant surprise for an observer at Rawcliffe Ings on the 17th while single Wheatears were at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 7th and Wheldrake Ings on the 13th with two males at Park Farm, North Duffield on the 14th and three birds there next day as well as another single at Strensall Common on the 25th. Fieldfares were still around in good numbers with 40+ at Hessay on the 14th, 20 at Kexby Stray Farm on the 20th and 30 at Redhouse Reservoir on the 21st, though two Redwings in Rowntree Park, York on the 11th was the only report for that species. Summer visitors were, however, continuing to arrive with a singing Grasshopper Warbler at Thorganby Ings on the 6th being rather early while the first Sedge Warblers were singles singing at Wheldrake Ings on the 11th and at ‘The Grange’ by the Pocklington Canal the following day; five were at Wheldrake by the 19th with a good number of Reed Warblers noted there by the 28th. A Lesser Whitethroat was in song at Fulford Ings on the 19th with a pair at Mill Lane, Sheriff Hutton on the 22nd and single birds at Old Malton on the 27th and Clifton Ings on the 28th. Two Whitethroats were at Fulford Ings on the 24th with further birds at Long Marston, North Duffield Carrs and Riccall next day, Clifton Ings on the 27th and Redhouse on the 28th when good numbers were noted at Wheldrake Ings. Up to six Blackcaps were reported from several localities during the month with counts of Chiffchaff including 20 birds at Allerthorpe Common on the 7th and ten along the Pocklington Canal on the 12th. Two Willow Warblers were singing at both Wheldrake Ings and Allerthorpe Common on the 7th before the species became more widespread but perhaps not in the numbers which would be expected. Hundreds of Chaffinches were noted as part of a large and noisy mixed finch flock at Allerthorpe Common on the 7th, which included ten Bramblings and several Lesser Redpolls along with a reported Mealy Redpoll and a single Crossbill. Otherwise, up to four Corn Buntings continued to be seen along the Long Marston-Tockwith road while escaped exotics included a Diamond Dove visiting a garden in Newton Kyme near Tadcaster (just outside the recording area) during the month and an Eastern Rosella in Acomb on the 23rd – both birds being Aussie aliens!

March 2009
Spring at last! Or at least that’s what most observers thought as many birds began to show increased signs of breeding and the first summer migrants appeared as winter visitors departed. At least 44 Mute Swans were counted at Castle Howard Lake on the 1st with 35 in a field at Derwent Cottage Farm near North Duffield Carrs on the 22nd. Whooper Swan numbers started to diminish with a maximum of 69 in the North Duffield area on the 15th falling to just three birds by the 22nd; some had obviously just taken the short hop to Wheldrake Ings, however, with 61 present at this site on the 16th and 39 still there on the 30th. Eleven birds were also seen near Selby on the 10th and 32 flew north over Huntington on the 20th; more compelling evidence of migration was obtained when two satellite-tagged birds left North Duffield Carrs on the evening of the 20th and turned up in Iceland next morning! Three Pink-footed Geese were at Wheldrake Ings on the 29th with 57 there next day while an escaped (or feral?) Bar-headed Goose graced the reserve on at least the 2nd and a Barnacle Goose of unknown origin was at North Duffield Carrs on the 23rd. With the milder conditions, there were more duck reports this month with 1,000+ Wigeon recorded at both North Duffield & Wheldrake on the 20th along with up 2,000 Teal at the latter site and several hundred at the former. At least 200 Mallard were at Castle Howard Lake on the 1st while c. 50 Pintail were counted in the Lower Derwent Valley on the 22nd with 20 at North Duffield Carrs the following day. Four Garganey were seen at North Duffield on the 18th with a pair at Wheldrake Ings from the 22nd-30th at least and 100+ Shoveler were present at North Duffield on the 20th with three drakes noted at Castle Howard Lake on the 15th and a single drake briefly on the River Ouse by Rowntree Park, York on the 20th. Only ten Pochard were at Castle Howard Lake on the 15th though a count of 250+ Tufted Ducks there on the 1st was a good record with 125 present on the 15th. A drake Scaup was at Wheldrake Ings from the 2nd, being joined by a female on the 19th and 20th. There were decent numbers of Goldeneye at Castle Howard Lake in the first half of the month with 25 there on the 1st and 18 on the 15th while up to four birds were noted at Wheldrake Ings from the 20th-22nd. Numbers of Goosander continued to hit an all-time low, however, with only two drakes at Castle Howard on the 1st, two drakes at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd (same birds?) with three there on the 30th, three drakes flying downriver at Clifton Ings on the 7th when eight birds were on the River Ouse at Fulford Ings, presumably escaping the boating regatta north of York, and a single drake on the confluence of the Ouse and Foss on the 19th and 20th. Eight Great Crested Grebes were at Castle Howard Lake on the 1st with two pairs nesting at York University Lake by the 15th and the pair at Rawcliffe Lake present all month. Six Cormorant and two Grey Heron nests were counted at the new site at Castle Howard Lake on the 1st while at least 30 of the latter were seen soaring above the nesting wood at Wheldrake Ings on the 22nd. Raptors were better represented this month with two Red Kites noted at Millington Pastures near Pocklington on the 2nd and a single bird over the Rawcliffe area of York on the 30th, at least two different Marsh Harriers in the Lower Derwent Valley throughout the month, single Goshawks reported from Yearsley Moor and Upper Poppleton on the 21st, the usual(!) Common Buzzards seen at various sites and up to at least two Peregrines noted in the Lower Derwent Valley during the month with a single bird reported flying over Foss Islands Road in York on the 22nd. Wader records picked up too, with six Oystercatchers seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd and a pair there on the 16th and 22nd while a pair of Avocets was also present on the reserve at Swantail Ings on the latter date. The usual breeding population of Lapwings returned to Middlethorpe Ings with up to 25 birds present from at least the 18th and this species was reported as being numerous in the Lower Derwent Valley. A single Dunlin at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd had increased to c. 20 birds by the 22nd while numbers of Ruff at North Duffield Carrs peaked at 93 on the 16th with up to 45 birds being noted at Wheldrake Ings. Twenty Common Snipe were at Fulford Ings on the 7th with 84 at Rawcliffe Meadows Flood Basin early in the month accompanied by two Jack Snipe. Single Woodcocks were noted at Skipwith Common and Upper Poppleton on the 22nd while numbers of Black-tailed Godwits at Wheldrake Ings scraped into double figures on a few dates peaking at 12 birds on the 16th and 17th. Curlew counts included 30 at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd with a pair present in the Fulford Ings/Middlethorpe Ings area during the month where up to five Redshanks were attracted to the floods along with two Green Sandpipers. The gull roost at Castle Howard Lake held up to 2,000 Black-headed and 1,000 Common Gulls as well as ten Herring Gulls on the 1st while an adult Yellow-legged Gull was found in the roost at Wheldrake Ings on the 8th with a juvenile Iceland Gull there on the 7th and a juvenile Glaucous Gull  on the 15th. Single Little Owls were noted at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 13th and Middlethorpe Ings on the 22nd while at Yearsley Moor a pair of Tawny Owls was heard calling to each other at 13:00 hours on the 21st and three Short-eared Owls were at Millington Pastures near Pocklington on the 15th. Single Green Woodpeckers were noted at Stubwood on the 1st and Fulford Golf Course on the 24th while four pairs of Woodlarks were present at an undisclosed site on the 20th with 20+ Skylarks counted on rough ground near Grimston on the 8th. Sand Martin numbers continued to increase with 41 at Wheldrake Ings on the 16th while the first Swallow of the year was seen at Strensall Common on the 29th with four at Bank Island next day and one at Long Marston on the 31st. Two House Martins were at North Duffield Carrs on the 21st and one at Pocklington School on the 31st while a Water Pipit was reported from Black Dyke Ings near Barmby on the 22nd along with 60 Meadow Pipits, and a White Wagtail was noted there on the 17th (the landowner of this promising site has unfortunately decided that it should be filled in despite opposition from conservation bodies). Further records of Meadow Pipit involved 35 at Bank Island on the 30th and ten flying west over York Science Park on the 16th. Good numbers of Waxwings continued to be reported with 15 still in Fulford on the 1st, up to 15 at Sherburn-in-Elmet on the 16th, 52 on Beckfield Lane in Acomb on the 20th with 20 there on the 24th, 30 on Ouseburn Avenue in Acomb on the 30th and 31st and 12 on Fishergate in York on the 30th. A single Wheatear was at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 25th while a female Blackbird was observed nest-building in a Heslington garden on the 11th. Winter thrushes were still around, though numbers were beginning to drop with 37 Fieldfares passing northwest over Walmgate Stray in York on the 2nd, 25 at Naburn Sewage Works on the 7th, 17 at Hagg Bridge on the 20th, 30 at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 25th and six at Bank Island on the 30th; meanwhile Redwings were noted in much smaller numbers with one at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 13th and three at Fulford Ings on the 14th with 15 there on the 18th. An elusive male Blackcap was seen in a Heslington garden on four dates during the month, with the bird in full song on the 25th, while singing Chiffchaffs were noted at the Retreat in York on the 15th and Wheldrake Ings the following day with birds then becoming widespread in the recording area. Two Marsh Tits were seen at Wheldrake on the 2nd with a Nuthatch noted at the Retreat in York on the 15th and a Jay heard at Fulford Ings on the 18th. The Starling roost in Heslington peaked at c. 5,000 birds on the 9th with c. 4,000 still coming in on the 19th and 250 recorded at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 25th. Generally single figures of Siskin were noted at a number of sites with several birds in song, though 100+ were at Bishop Wood on the 16th. Five Lesser Redpolls were seen at Yearsley Moor on the 21st while two Mealy Redpolls were reported from a garden in Copmanthorpe on the 18th with about ten Linnets near Grimston on the 8th and three Bullfinches in the grounds of the Retreat, York on the 15th. A male Crossbill was seen at Allerthorpe Common on the 13th with 15 birds feeding in pines along the main track there on the 22nd, 13 in Bishop Wood on the 17th and two at Yearsley Moor on the 21st. Just outside the recording area, a single Hawfinch was still at Millington Pastures near Pocklington on the 2nd while 20+ Yellowhammers were seen on rough ground near Grimston on the 8th along with about ten Reed Buntings  and 30 of the former species were at Heslington Tillmire on the 24th. Finally, the Corn Bunting roost at Clifton Ings held 60 birds on the 10th and 52 on the 21st with four noted along the Long Marston-Tockwith road on the 30th.

February 2009
Winter maintained its icy grip for the first half of the month so numbers of birds remained pretty low with relatively few reports received. A pair of Mute Swans took up residence at York University Lake late on while there was a noticeable passage of Pink-footed Geese from mid-month with skeins of 50 northwest over Fulford Ings on the 14th when 300 moved over Wheldrake Ings with 50 dropping in to North Duffield Carrs the following day when 250 flew west over Copmanthorpe; several hundred passed over York Science Park on the 19th while 75 flew west over the Strensall-Sheriff Hutton road on the 28th. Caught up in this movement were 23 Barnacle Geese over Wheldrake on the 14th but there were few reports of other wildfowl with a drake Scaup noted at Wheldrake Ings on the 15th and 16th and up to five Goosander reported from Acaster Malbis, Hessay and Wheldrake. Four Grey Partridges were seen at Gilling during a BTO survey on the 21st while at least three Great Crested Grebes had returned to York University Lake by the 23rd as had the pair at Rawcliffe Lake mid-month and a single was on the River Ouse at Acaster Malbis on the 27th. There were few raptor reports apart from a female Marsh Harrier seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th and 15th and several sightings of Common Buzzard. Waders were also relatively thin on the ground with seven Golden Plover noted amongst 500+ Lapwings at Wheldrake on the 16th and c. 25 of the former passing over the Bishopthorpe/Acaster Malbis area on the 27th; further flocks of the latter species included 50 at Strensall Common on the 22nd and c. 30 at Heslington Tillmire the following day while the only records of Dunlin concerned a single at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th with three there on the 16th. This site also hosted seven Ruff on the 6th and five on the 16th while 38 were counted at Thorganby Ings on the 21st. At least ten Common Snipe were at Fulford Ings on the 7th while a total of exactly 50 birds was recorded at Heslington Tillmire on the 23rd. Similarly, there were only seven Curlew noted at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th but this had increased to 27 birds by the 16th with a single Green Sandpiper located at Harewood Whin tip on the 4th. The only gulls of interest this month were an adult Iceland Gull at the latter site on the 15th which was joined by a juvenile on the 24th with a juvenile Glaucous Gull in the same area on the 3rd and 4th and again on the 24th when a second-winter was also present with presumably the same juvenile seen in the roost at Wheldrake Ings on the 28th. One or two Barn Owls were noted at several sites while 30 Meadow Pipits were observed feeding on frozen floodwater at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th along with 15 Pied Wagtails. The Waxwing invasion continued to keep spirits up: at least 20 were seen again at Danesmead Close, Fulford on the 1st with numbers along nearby Heslington Lane peaking at 40 birds on the 11th; two were in Haxby on the 1st and 30 seen near the railway depot in York on the 5th when 16 were at Sherburn-in-Elmet; eight were seen briefly on Strensall Common on the 22nd while c. 35 flew south over the Flag and Whistle pub in Huntington towards York on the 25th. Two pairs of Stonechats were still braving the wintry weather at North Duffield Carrs on the 8th with another pair at Strensall Common on the 22nd. There were few reports of Fieldfare flocks while the only notable count of Redwings received concerned c. 40 at Heslington Tillmire on the 23rd. A male Blackcap graced a Haxby garden on the 1st while the only Marsh Tit reports were of singles at Wheldrake Ings on the 16th and Gilling on the 21st. Single Jays were noted at The Outgang, Heslington on the 23rd and Clifton Park on the 25th while an impressive Starling roost of up to 2,000 birds was discovered in Heslington mid-month. Notable flocks of Tree Sparrows were c. 50 at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 3rd, c. 30 at Heslington Tillmire on the 23rd and at least ten in the Bishopthorpe/Acaster Malbis area on the 27th. A single Brambling was seen at Holtby Lane, York on the 2nd with three at Pocklington School on the 14th while eight Siskins were at York University on the 26th and three Lesser Redpolls were at Wheldrake Ings on the 16th. Finishing as usual with buntings, c. 100 Yellowhammers were at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 3rd with 20 at Pocklington School on the 14th and at least ten in the Bishopthorpe/Acaster Malbis area on the 27th while ten Reed Buntings were at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 3rd and c. 20 at Heslington Tillmire on the 23rd. Six Corn Buntings were noted at Earfit Lane, Copmanthorpe on the 3rd with 50 there on the 9th while the roost of usually 20-30 birds at Clifton Park peaked at an impressive 65 on the 17th but a very unusual record concerned a single seen and heard briefly at York Science Park early in the month.

January 2009
The cold spell from 2008 continued well in to January with most  places remaining frozen for long periods and with many areas, including the Lower Derwent Valley, locked under ice and frost there seemed to be a dearth of birds around, in terms of numbers at least. A pair of Mute Swans appeared at York University Lake on the 27th while an adult Bewick’s Swan was with just five Whooper Swans at North Duffield Carrs on the 4th. Three Bewick’s Swans were reported flying south at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th while numbers of Whooper Swan increased as the wintry conditions eased with 43 birds present at North Duffield by the end of the month; elsewhere, three birds remained on Castle Howard Lake until at least the 4th with another three seen in fields between Sutton-on-the-Forest and Strensall on the 3rd and 4th. A Tundra Bean Goose was reported to be with Greylags at Thorganby Ings on the 25th while 30 Pink-footed Geese flew west over Millington Pastures near Pocklington on the 10th with c. 100 northwest over Sand Hutton on the 14th. Ten Shelduck were at Wheldrake Ings with other wildfowl, such as Wigeon, also present in very small numbers. Several Pintail were at North Duffield Carrs on the 12th with six birds seen on the 17th while a notable concenrtation of c. 100 Pochard was at Wheldrake Ings on the 10th. Only five Goldeneye were at Castle Howard Lake on the 4th with just seven Goosander there on the first while a drake flew over Fulford Ings on the 3rd. A few Little Grebes were on Pocklington Canal at Melbourne on the 4th with one Great Crested Grebe having returned to York University Lake by the 23rd. There were some interesting raptor records this month with numbers of Red Kite still present in the Pocklington area and up to two ‘cream-crown’ Marsh Harriers apparently wintering in the Lower Derwent Valley. Only small numbers of Common Buzzard were reported with a pair near Dunnington observed performing dramatic display flights on the 30th. Meanwhile, at least one of the juvenile Rough-legged Buzzards at Millington Pastures lingered on till mid-month, though sightings were intermittent. A Merlin flew over the A64 at Bishopthorpe on the 16th while single Peregrines were reported from North Duffield Carrs, Sutton-on-the-Forest (16th) and Grimston Park&Ride near York (23rd); the individual at North Duffield was watched chasing a Marsh Harrier on the 10th. Just outside the recording area, a rather showy Water Rail was seen on a small pond at Millington Pastures on three dates. Wader-wise, things were rather quiet too with two Golden Plover flying high northwest over Fulford on the 4th no doubt fleeing the wintry weather! At least 400 of these birds were counted at Terrington on the 24th with c. 300 at Elvington on the 30th while the only Lapwing flocks reported were c. 150 near Huntington on the 1st, 100+ at Terrington on the 24th and 120 at Elvington on the 30th. Three Ruff feeding by the River Derwent at Bubwith Ings on the 4th was the only report of this species with c. 20 Common Snipe at Fulford Ings on the 1st being more expected than an individual flushed from dry ryegrass pasture near Elvington airfield on the 6th! Sightings of single Woodcocks were reported from Askham Bog on three dates, in the Dunnington/Elvington area on the 6th and 17th and at Hessay fishing ponds on the 13th. The only other wader record of note concerned a single Green Sandpiper seen in a flooded field by the A59 at Upper Poppleton on the 27th and 28th. More unusual, perhaps, was an all-dark Black-headed Gull seen at York University between the 15th and 27th and Clifton Ings on the 20th; this bird appeared not to be oiled, but may have been soiled in some way as melanism is reportedly very rare in gulls – it was certainly a distinctive bird, however, and its skua-like appearance in flight soon upset the local pigeons!  A very early (or more likely wintering) Lesser Black-backed Gull flew west over Fulford on the 1st while other gulls of note included a second-winter Iceland Gull at Knapton on the 5th with two birds seen at the Wheldrake Ings roost the following day where a juvenile Glaucous Gull was also seen on the 25th. Barn Owls were seen in several locations with a Little Owl at Welburn being a ‘banker’ for a local bird race on the 4th while up to three Short-eared Owls were seen at Millington Pastures where a Kingfisher was also in residence early in the month. Green Woodpeckers were reported from a couple of sites while a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker photographed in a Huby garden on the 26th was quite a surprise! Meanwhile, the Waxwing invasion continued with more birds noted this month and in more obvious places: up to six birds were seen in Strensall during the month with two at Pocklington on the 6th, up to seven at Askham Bog from the 22nd-27th, 15 roosting in a tree at York University on the 23rd and 18 on Broadway West, Fulford on the 25th increasing to a maximum of 28 by the 30th. Pairs of Stonechat were noted at North Duffield Carrs on the 4th and by the level crossing in Strensall on the 6th while many winter thrushes were reported to be in the Long Marston area at the beginning of the month though few were noted elsewhere apart from a flock of 60+ Fieldfare at Heslington Tillmire on the 23rd. More unusual, however, was a ringed Cetti’s Warbler seen behind the Tower Hide at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th while a male Blackcap visiting a Copmanthorpe garden early in the month was more expected. A Goldcrest visiting bird feeders in a Heslington garden on the 25th was noteworthy and probably reflected the weather conditions. Ten Tree Sparrows feeding in a game field in the Dunnington/Elvington area on the 6th had increased to 55 birds by the 30th while 20 were counted at Heslington Tillmire on the 23rd. While counts of small birds were generally low this was certainly countered by variety: while a flock of c. 200 Chaffinches feeding in stubble at Kexby Stray Farm near Dunnington on the 30th may have been an exception in the numbers game, other notable records included at least two Bramblings in a mixed finch flock at Millington Pastures on the 10th where two Twite were seen well on the 18th, a count of 60 Goldfinches in the Dunnington/Elvington area, two Siskins at Askham Bog on the 8th increasing to c. 80 birds by the 25th, two Mealy Redpolls reported with ‘ Lessers’ by the main car park at Castle Howard on the 7th, a sizeable flock of 16 Bullfinches in the Dunnington/Elvington area on the 30th and up to two Hawfinches seen at Millington Pastures throughout the month. As well as with finches, there were no big bunting flocks reported though c. 30 Corn Buntings coming into the Melbourne roost on the 4th was of note...